


Blessings and Curses

by DaniiDemure



Category: The SpongeBob Musical - Various/Anthony & Coulton/Jarrow
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Depression, F/M, Grief, Love, seabot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 11:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15706032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniiDemure/pseuds/DaniiDemure
Summary: Seabots are amazing creatures. Sheldon Plankton married the smartest, most beautiful one in the seas, Karen. However, Seabots have one major problem that will ruin everything





	1. Nothing lasts forever

**Author's Note:**

> Note about my AU: In this AU, Karen is a species called a Seabot. Robots that live underwater, essentially. Despite living like everyone else, there is one major difference...

Neither of them spoke a word to each other all day. Maybe even a few days. They weren’t sure. Time seemed to stop, at least in her mind, when she realized what was going on. She didn’t want to tell him, she didn’t want to break the news, but she had a feeling he knew. He always knew.

Karen was sitting on top of her desk. She hadn’t moved from that spot all day. She hadn’t even plugged her CPU into the wall monitor; she didn’t want Sheldon to see what she was thinking about. She didn’t want Sheldon to see how scared she was.

The charade continued even as they went to bed. Sheldon lay on his side of the bed, Karen on hers. They didn’t wish each other a good night. They didn’t acknowledge the inevitable. But Karen was beginning to regret playing the charade. She wanted his comfort. She wanted to tell him it would be alright. But of course, there wasn’t much a simple Seabot could do. She tried to plug herself in to charge, but every time she tried, she winced away in pain. She would have to go without charging tonight.

Karen closed her eyes.

_Nobody really knows how robots came to live in the ocean. There are many different origin stories for the species, but the oldest one is generally more accepted among sea folk:_

_There was once a lonely old inventor sailing on a small ship in the middle of the ocean. He was looking for rare materials to finish his newest invention. Sentient robots._

_The inventor had been sailing for weeks with his two robots, running out of food and fresh water. He was tired._

_The inventor came across a calm area. There wasn't a single cloud in sight. That’s when the inventor came face to face with the legendary King Neptune._

_King Neptune praised the inventor for surviving his ocean thus far and offered him one wish. The inventor wished that his robots were completed because he knew he would never live to finish them himself. Neptune fulfilled his promise, and completed the robots, giving them life._

_The robots thanked Neptune for his generosity, for which he thanked them as well. He sent the inventor and the two robots on their way home._

_While traveling home, the inventor came across the stormiest part of the ocean. His ship was destroyed, sending them all into the sea._

_The inventor drowned, and the robots were quickly dying. King Neptune appeared before the terrified bots. He gifted them with the ability to live in his ocean._

_The robots lived on the sea floor among the native folk. They were able to flourish, starting a new species that came to be known as Seabots._

_However, Neptune’s blessings always come with a catch. A catch that they never found to be a problem. Being a rare species, Seabots usually only pair with other Seabots. But in the case of Sheldon and I…._

Karen snapped back into the real world to the sound of her husband’s soft cries.

“Sheldon…?” She asked into the night. Her voice slightly horse, having gone without speaking for so long. She sat up, placing a hand on his shoulder. He still had his back to her. “Sheldon are you alright?”

Finally, he sat up beside her. She could see the tears sliding down his cheeks. Karen’s expression softened, emphasizing with the pain he was feeling. She put her hand on his cheek, gently wiping away the tears. Sheldon bowed his head.

“No” was all he could say in response between sniffs and tears.

“What's wrong?” Karen whispered. Sheldon did not look up.

“Don't...go…”

Karen’s eyes widened, tears welling up. So he did know. She moved to hug him, her head on his shoulder. He rested his head on hers, but not even the lavender scent of her violet hair could soothe the pain he felt inside.

“It's inevitable,” She said, not wanting to accept it. “We can't avoid it any longer.”

“I can try tampering with your circuitry. Maybe I can rewire your inner systems to keep you here with me.” Sheldon could hear the doubt in his own voice. But he was willing to do anything to save his wife.

“It wouldn't fix it. If anything, it would only worsen the process. I'm already at the point where I can't plug myself in; we can't fix this.” Karen immediately regretted the words as they slipped from her lips. Sheldon's hold on her tightened.

“It's not fair!” He sobbed, “Why, why, why?! Why does it have to be this way? Why do I have to lose to one good thing in my life?!?”

“Shhh shhh...it's going to be okay,” Karen tried to comfort him despite being terrified herself, “just remember all the times we fought and yelled.”

“And all the times I threatened to replace you.”

“I swear there were plenty of times where I thought you really were going to replace me.” Karen reminisced, a small smile spreading across her face, tears streaming down.

“We had a terrible, terrible marriage.” Sheldon chuckled through the sobs.

“But that doesn't mean I regret it. Not one bit.” Karen was finally letting herself cry. With each gasp of breath in between sobs, she could feel more energy escape. Time was draining. Soon she would be nothing more than a pile of junk in her husband's arms.

Karen lifted her head, her lips brushing against his. The lights in her eyes and vacuum tubes were beginning to dim.

“No… no...” Sheldon murmured. He could feel her body cooling at a rapid rate. No. This couldn't be real. This was a nightmare. It had to be. “no, stay awake, please…”

Karen’s sentience was slipping away. With every passing moment, the seconds on the clock seemed to tick slower and slower. A few quiet beeps and whirrs were coming from Karen’s system, desperately trying to grasp onto life. But it was far too late. The clock had stopped ticking.

There was a breathless, nearly inaudible whisper of “I love you” as Karen’s lights finally ceased to glow. Her grip on him faltered, Sheldon caught her, pulling her closer to his body, desperately trying to keep her tethered to him.

“No. Oh dear Neptune, come back. Please come back. Please, look at me, I'm right here...I'm right here….please….”

_Neptune's blessings always come with a catch. Seabots have a lifespan significantly shorter than the average folk. One can only delay the inevitable, for once sentience escapes a being, it can never be restored._


	2. Spiraling

“Good morning, Karen. How are you this morning?”

Sheldon waltzed into the kitchen, all too cheerily. His coffee mug was full of bourbon when she turned to face him. Violet strands of hair rolled over her shoulders, emerald eyes sparkling. He couldn’t understand her response, for she replied in binary. The binary was cryptic and distorted. His smile never faltered. She walked over and kissed his forehead. It hurt. He winced from the pain. His grin never faltered.

Why did it hurt so bad? She’s just a machine, Sheldon. You were never supposed to love her, Sheldon. You knew it was inevitable, Sheldon. IT’S YOUR FAULT SHE’S GONE, SHELDON.

His happiness faltered. His smile melted away. The bourbon in his coffee mug tasted bitter now. The kitchen seemed so monochrome now. He missed violet and emerald now.

The shattered screen of the monitor was taunting him. The broken bottles and vials were ridiculing him. The body on the table was laughing at him. The broken clock was calling him.

When did things come to this? She would know. Only she would know. Why is she gone? Why did she have to leave? Why won’t she come back?

Sheldon loomed over the body on the table. It’s cold, metal exterior made him wish for death. Maybe that was the only solution. Maybe death was how he could see her again. But what if he would never feel her again. What if he would never feel her body pressed against his, her lips soft on his, her eyes lighting up his. He couldn’t risk it.

How long has it been? The clock had stopped ticking. He didn’t know. He set the empty coffee mug down.

In the city, he could see the palace in the distance. King Neptune, why can’t you help? Why can’t you bring her back? Why can’t I see violet and emerald again?

He passed by the restaurant. His former friend was watching through the window. His expression blurred with sympathy. Dear Eugene, please help me. I’ve lost someone...something...important. Something that held me together. What do I do without it? Please help me.

He could feel the stares of the townsfolk on him. He could hear their whispering and murmurs. Please, use your voices to scream. Scream so loudly it will wake her. Scream so loudly it will hurt. Scream so that I can’t hear myself think.

He could still feel the oil dripping on his shoulder. He could still feel her in his arms, cold and lifeless. Sentience cannot be restored, they say. Bullshit. Why should he sit quietly at the death of his fucking wife? But there wasn’t much a simple monster could do.

What else could he do? Nothing, right? It’s my fault she’s gone. I should have done something before the clock stopped ticking. I should have told her I love her. Why was I so fucking stupid?

I want my wife back.

I want my happiness back.

I want my Karen back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I wrote this and the first chapter months ago, around February 2018


End file.
